GLP-1 medications are changing how the nation approaches obesity and chronic disease. For patients, the local pharmacy can be a trusted partner every step of the way.

In an essay published this week by the Milken Institute, NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson previews the Institute’s forthcoming report, supported by NACDS, on how pharmacy teams can help patients use GLP-1s safely and successfully. “A prescription is a beginning, not a finish line,” Anderson writes.

The report will be unveiled Wednesday, November 11, during the Milken Institute’s 2026 Future of Health Summit. It will lay out recommendations for government and other stakeholders to deliver on the needs and expectations of patients and the full potential of pharmacy, drawing on the evidence; interviews with pharmacy, clinical, payer, and policy leaders; and new opinion research. The essay also previews that new NACDS-commissioned opinion research from Public Opinion Strategies, drawn from six focus groups and a national survey of 1,200 adults. The early findings make a strong case for pharmacy’s role in GLP-1 care:

• 83% of adults nationally, and 93% of GLP-1 users, are confident in pharmacists as a resource for GLP-1 questions.
• 74% of GLP-1 users agree that more opportunities to work with a pharmacist would improve their experience and success with the medication.
• GLP-1 users find it very or somewhat valuable for pharmacists to provide physical activity resources (91%), provide or direct them to starter kits (89%), and connect them with dietitians or nutrition professionals (85%).

 Practical hurdles like coverage and cost, side effects, and uncertainty about how to use and store the medication can lead people to pause or stop taking GLP-1s. Patients say these are the areas where they most value a pharmacist’s help. This GLP-1 report marks the third formal collaboration between the Milken Institute and NACDS, following reports on Food Is Medicine and on chronic disease and broader health challenges.

Watch for the full report and its recommendations on Wednesday, November 11. Then, on Friday, November 13, at 3 p.m. ET, Anderson will join the “Cardiometabolic Care Beyond the Prescription” panel at the Summit. The panel will be livestreamed, and NACDS will share highlights following the program.